It looks like a beautiful event. I wonder if my wife would consider renewing our vows in Japan? Is it acceptable in Japan to do that?

We are thinking the same thing. We will have been married 10 years next year. Its been wonderful. Its also been absolutely shit at times(!) but we are still together and still stronger than ever. I think that is something worth celebrating.

Get in touch with the Japan aisaika (愛妻家) organisation. They are the ones who organise the cabbage patch shout-outs and things in Gunma. They have one coming up at the end of January in Hibiya park. That is the "Japanese" way to do things. My friend on FB works with them and I told him recently about the trend in the west to renew vows. He thought that was fantastic. Mail me on FB if you want more info.

As for whether it is acceptable to renew your vows here - quite honestly if you are prepared to rent the church, pay the fake minister and probably not charge your friends too much for entrance, you can pretty much do anything you want!

on topic - I heard those kimono are something like 12 layers and it takes 3 of you to get the bride dressed! There is definitely something hauntingly beautiful about it though.

At our blessing ceremony in the UK my husband wore Hakama and I wore a traditional white western dress. We exchanged vows in English (him) and Japanese (me). We gave the British guests chopsticks, and the Japanese guests English tea as presents. We put little phrase cards on the tables so people could wander around after dinner (once they were half-cut!) practicing their Japanese with the Japanese guests (yielding some hilarious results and a couple of hook-ups!) It was a fabulous day and the mix of cultures and styles went down really well. I only wish I could have drunk more champagne (was 15 weeks pregnant with our honeymoon baby!!!)

Of course these "weddings" have absolutely no real meaning, they are just theatre...like so much here. Most likely, the couple actually got married at a city office some time ago (perhaps without even going there, just by posting off the forms).

My friend on FB works with them and I told him recently about the trend in the west to renew vows. He thought that was fantastic. Mail me on FB if you want more info.

Done that. I hope this is not an imposition. Despite what some people seem to feel, westerners wanting to experience some part of a county's rites and culture, is not some sort of vampirism, but a genuine interest.